Posted: Mon, Dec 14, 2009, 6:58 AM ET (1158 GMT)
The US Congress has passed a spending bill that would fully fund NASA for 2010 while also requiring the agency to stick to its current exploration plan. An omnibus spending bill for a variety of federal agencies, including NASA, was announced last week after House and Senate negotiators reconciled their versions of individual spending bills; the House passed the final version Thursday and the Senate on Sunday. The bill provides $18.7 billion for NASA for fiscal year 2010, approximately the same amount requested earlier this year by the White House. The bill does include a provision that requires NASA to continue work on the current Constellation program using the funding provided in the bill: and cancellations, new programs, or other changes require the approval of Congress in a subsequent appropriation.